What we do
45dB are Australia’s sound masking experts. We not only supply and install great technology but we assess your acoustic issues accurately and deliver comprehensive acoustic solutions including acoustic panels, ceiling and partition systems to successfully correct any acoustic issue.
01 Soundmasking
We know sound masking systems and what they’re capable of.
Our experience in designing, installing and calibrating systems large and small is extensive and through the years working with various systems we chose SoftdB’s SmartSMS system because it consistently delivers the most accurate results with other useful functionality including adaptive volume control and the ability to overlay other environmental sounds in selected zones . We believe that accuracy of calibration is paramount and through our own experience with competing systems we know how difficult this is to achieve. If a sound masking system is not accurate it is worthless as speech is not accurately covered and inaccurate spectra can become an irritating buzz.
45dB Systems are exclusive distributors for SoftdB throughout Australia and New Zealand
02 Sound conditioning
Does one size fit all?
Not always. Rather than delivering sound at a constant ‘catch all’ 45dB in the open-plan, our system has the option to automatically adjust the masking volume according to changes in activity in the space. As one conversation starts, the masking volume increases over 10 second increments to 45dB to cover that speech for other not involved in that collaboration. Conversely, when conversation decreases, so too does the masking volume, reducing to a lower more comfortable level. The change is not noticable but the overall environment is more comfortable during periods of lower audible activity. We call this sound conditioning as it constantly monitors and adjusts for comfort as air conditioning does for temperature.
03 Soundscaping
The icing on the cake
While sound conditioning looks after the important functions of increasing productivity by decreasing distraction and increasing privacy by reducing speech intelligibility without the user knowing, soundscaping can enhance certain spaces with a noticable sound. For example, relaxation or breakout space can be enhanced with sounds from nature or a cafe area could be overlaid with music or even the sound of a city cafe.
Over the last few years we have added this functioanlity to several of our larger installtions. An otherwise dull, functional space can be brought to life with the addition of other sounds over selected zones.
These sounds can either replace or overlay the existing masking sound in a space
04 Acoustic Panels
Control reverberation
Many think that acoustic panels are the answer to create good acoustics. In most cases this is not the case. If you are in a cafe, bar or restaurant these may well be all you need to prevent sound building up to deafening levels, however if this is all you use in an office environment you could simply end up with a space which is too quiet. Yes, too quiet is in many ways worse than too loud when it comes to productivity, privacy and comfort. As sound is absorbed, speech intelligiibility increases and your colleagues’ every word is crystal clear, diverting you instantly from your focus.
We know how acoustic panels work, how many you may need and what type will marry best with your design intent and overal acoustic result.
05 Specification
Let us do the work.
We know what our systems can do and how they do it. Simply send us the plans and we’ll do the rest. You don’t need to create anthing more than a simple performance specification.Lets discuss how we can help you make a real impact for your client.
06 Acoustic Fit-out
Revolutionary fit-out
Over the last few years we’ve seen a major shift in the use of sound masking. Not only to enhance the workplace for productivity, privacy and acoustic comfort, but to save construction cost too.
Traditionally, ambient sound is delivered by air conditioning or from other plant and external sources such as nearby traffic. As these are not constant or controllable in volume, or spectrum, ambient sound levels fail to meet expectations and impact on the performance of perfectly well constructed partitioning leading to privacy issues. In order to compensate for this, partitioning is often over engineered at excessive cost to guarantee performance
On both of the ANU projects featured on the projects page, sound masking has been used to ‘lock-in’ minimum ambient sound levels in order to guarantee partitioning performance.
By ensuring minimum ambient sound levels, partitioning performance normally only achieved using a slab to slab construction is achieved with a cheaper and more easily installed floor to ceiling design.
Outstanding benefits:
Lower cost construction - saving in ANU’s case $500k on each project build.
Streamlined construction. Once the services are installed in the void no more needs to be done and the ceiling is closed. Building walls in the plenum was, after all, not what it was designed for!
Floor to ceiling construction is easier to make good or better still, controlling ambient sound in this way open’s the door to modern moveable partitioning giving the end user endless ongoing flexibility to churn their space as their business requires.
Quieter offices are less productive
As counter-intuitive as it may seem, quiet offices are less productive places to work. When an office is full and vibrant, ambient sound levels are higher.
As ambient sound level increases, speech intelligibility decreases and conversations become less clear. [Example: in a noisy cafe try listening in to a conversation at close range. You can hear that others are talking but you can't understand the detail of the conversation. It is not distracting because you can't hear enough of it. Also, your conversation and their's are more private]
Conversely as the ambient sound level decreases speech intelligibility increases and conversations become more clear. If you are trying to concentrate on solo activity, nearby conversations are clearly audible and difficult to ignore. [Example: in a quiet library a distant conversation at normal volume is distracting and clearly heard as it punctuates the otherwise quiet space]
In the quieter office space, we are all now experiencing, each conversation interrupts your concentration frequently throughout the day and refocusing takes time and energy. At the end of the day, you feel tired and you didn’t manage to complete the work you hoped to.
If this sounds like your office, you are not alone as this problem is now rife in post lockdown workspace with fewer staff in the office.
There is an easy retrofittable fix for this called sound masking.
Our acoustic solutions let sound travel only where it needs to — allowing people to concentrate one minute, and collaborate the next.
